Ebola outbreak toll reaches 1,013 in W Africa

The death toll from the worst ever outbreak of Ebola has reached 1,013 after another 52 people died in the three days to August 9 in three West African countries, the World Health Organization said on Monday.

The largest number of reported new deaths were in Liberia, where 29 people died, followed by 17 in Sierra Leone and six in Guinea, the WHO said in a statement on its website. The total number of cases rose to 1,848, it said.

Meanwhile, the US authorities have approved a request from Liberia's government to send sample doses of the experimental ZMapp drug to treat Liberian doctors infected with Ebola, the Liberian presidency said.

A statement on the Liberian presidency's website said the drug would be delivered to the West African country this week by a US government representative.

However, a representative for the US Health and Human Services (HHS) department said US authorities had simply assisted in connecting the Liberian government with the drug's manufacturer.

"Since the drug was shipped for use outside the US, appropriate export procedures had to be followed," the HHS representative said, adding the drug company had worked directly with the Liberian government.